Heads We Will, Tails We'll Try Again
by BloodyCrystal
Summary: 30 glimpses of the three worlds. "Stubbornness is an attractive quality."
1. What They Say

**Characters: **The Reikai Tantei  
**Prompt: **Do You Think You're What They Say You Are ("Jesus Christ, Superstar")  
**Summary:** thug and diplomat, killer and healer, thief and detective, delinquent and chef; all of these, and yet none.

**What They Say**

Kuwabara Kazuma was called ugly, stupid, and useless. An eyesore who only knew how to fight and couldn't even do _that_ well. He was the first of his friends to be married, to a lovely woman who loved his chivalry and kind heart. He became a diplomat between humans, demons, and everything in between. His friendship with three powerful demons helped pave the way for human-demon relations. To this day, his descendents are known around the world for their intelligent and competent work in the murky grays of inter-world affairs.

Jaganshi no Hiei was called heartless, sadistic, and a loner. A monster that got his kicks torturing people in front of their loved ones, needing and wanting no one. These days, he lives a simple life in the makai as a healer, not advertising his services but turning away none who seek him out. His jagan helps him pinpoint problems in people's anatomy so that he can fix what is wrong. He keeps in touch with his old comrades and goes to the human realm once a year to check on the descendents of those no longer alive. His house never contains just him.

Youko Kurama, known in ningenkai as Minamino Shuuichi, was called thief, coldhearted, and uncaring. He would take whatever caught his eye, regardless of sentimental value or the necessity of his victims. His chosen profession is a private investigator, returning what is taken from those who would once have been his prey. His most treasured possession is no longer a stolen trinket but rather a heart given freely. The demon who once harshly punished any who thought to take from him now lives with one who stole his heart. He now cares for all, even those who would be his enemies when they are misguided.

Urameshi Yuusuke was called a delinquent, a punk, and a good-for-nothing. A piece of trash who would never amount to anything and would drag anyone good down with him. He is the one who came up with the current ruling system in makai, a system that has not only opened communication with ningenkai, but has also helped turn around many demons, making them all the better for their experiences in the Makai Tournament. He has a job that he works steady hours at, keeping his noodle stand going. He keeps track of all of his descendents, calling them on their birthdays and scaring off potential boyfriends and girlfriends. He always makes time for his friends, even if it's just to listen or threaten to beat up whoever upset them.

One day, a history professor will stand in front of their class and tell them of the Reikai Tantei, the Spirit World Detectives. The professor will talk about Kuwabara Kazuma, a diplomat with a heart of gold. They will speak of Jaganshi no Hiei, who wielded the jagan to heal. They will describe Youko Kurama, the demon version of Robin Hood. They will linger on Urameshi Yuusuke, the leader, a family man who owned a noodle stand.

And anyone old enough to remember the Reikai Tantei will listen with an ironic little smile, recalling the eccentricities that are glossed over, the personality clashes that are forgotten, the truth that is buried. Because really, they'd probably prefer to be remembered as all of what they were: thug and diplomat, killer and healer, thief and detective, delinquent and chef.


	2. Pay Any Price

**Character(s): **Youko Kurama  
**Prompt: **I'd Even Cut My Hair and Change My Name ("Rockstar", Nickelback)  
**Summary:** what is the price of a life?

**Pay Any Price**

When the hunter had killed his physical body, Youko Kurama had felt fury and panic crash over him in alternating waves. He was furious at both himself and the hunter, the first for being careless and the second for succeeding where so many had failed, but he had panicked at the thought of death. But Youko Kurama was nothing if not a survivor, and he hadn't been willing to give up all that easily.

Tails were incredibly important to a kitsune, showing their age and power, but Youko was willing to sacrifice as many as he needed in order to survive.

He wasn't overly fond of humans, but who would expect him to recover in the ningenkai instead of the makai? And so he fled to the human plane.

Being born as a human meant several years of helplessness at best, the loss of all demon powers at worst, but he was willing to take that chance so that he had a better chance of a one hundred percent recovery.

Youko Kurama was a name that was feared and respected, a name that he had raised to legendary status in his lifetime, but he accepted the human woman who gave birth to his new body giving him a name that was nowhere near his original demon moniker.

In fact, he considered that he had gotten off rather lightly. At least until he realized that he had fallen pray to the human weakness called love.

In time, he accepted that this, too, was a small enough price to pay for his life.


	3. Wash Yourself Clean

**Character(s): **Botan  
**Prompt: **I'm So Clean Too Bad I Can't Get All the Dirt Off of Me ("Falling For the First Time", Bare Naked Ladies)  
**Summary:** I scrub as hard as I can, but I still see it dripping down.  
**Warning:** Mild speculation about why Spirit World's information is so bad.

**Wash Yourself Clean**

Botan scrubbed at her hands, watching them turn pink from the pressure she exerted on them. She could feel Hinageshi and Ayame watching her from across the room but she ignored them, too focused on trying to get the feeling of grit and blood of off herself.

"Botan-san?" Hinageshi ventured. "What's wrong?"

The blue-haired ferry girl ignored the younger girl in favor of focusing harder on her hands. Ayame, closer in age to Botan, sighed and told Hinageshi, "you'll understand when you're older, after you've ferried more souls."

Cotton-candy pink eyes closed in pain and shame as Botan thought back to the souls she had ferried that day, the surprise and fear they had evinced at learning of their deaths, shocking and sudden and tragic. She hated shootings. Especially shootings she knew about but couldn't prevent.

Ferry girls were forbidden from meddling with human affairs. The reikai could not risk fate taking a swerve into uncharted territory that they had no precautions or contingency plans for, and so warnings of disaster were anathema. As liaison to the Spirit Detective, Botan walked a tightrope between too little information for Yuusuke's job and too much to prevent a wide swing off course.

And some days, it was just too much. Botan knew that she would never be able to wash the innocent blood off of her hands, but that didn't stop her from, every so often, doing her damnedest to accomplish that very goal.


	4. Freak of Normal

**Character(s): **Keiko  
**Prompt: **They Say Freak When You're Singled Out ("The Red", Chevelle)  
**Summary:** Being normal doesn't cut it in a group like this.

**Freak of Normal**

No one had to say anything about it. She was smart enough to get it on her own, after all.

She didn't fit. Of course she didn't, Keiko reminded herself with a snort; she was no demon or psychic. She couldn't heal or fight or see anything that normal humans couldn't. The most remarkable thing that had happened to her was almost turning into a creepy version of Hiei back when he had the Ghostslayer.

She knew that she was a liability. After all, Yuusuke had a rather hazardous job, and it apparently wasn't that much of a secret that they had a relationship, albeit a rather tumultuous one. She had a big fat target sign painted on her back, and she couldn't do anything to defend herself from those who saw that.

Oh, the others never _deliberately_ made her feel excluded (well, except maybe Hiei, but that was different), but she knew it all the same. She was the lone normal human, and no matter what the others said, she knew that they all knew it. It was nice that they didn't constantly pick at her over it, but sometimes she wished that they would show a bit less consideration of her feelings and a bit more care over her self-defense capabilities.

Well, she'd show them! Human martial arts might not be as good as demonic ones, but they would still be enough to keep her out of harm's way until back up arrived.

No longer would she be the lone freak of the group.


	5. Treasured Trifles

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **None, although maybe sort of Yukina?  
**Prompt: **These Trinkets Once Were Treasure ("Lost Highway" by Bon Jovi)  
**Summary:** Once, these stones had value. Now, they are eyesores.

**Treasured Trifles**

Small round stones, a pale yellow-white in color, glistened in the open mahogany box resting in the middle of the side table. They didn't look like anything special, and a casual visitor would infer that they held pride of place on the table due to some strange sentimentality. This theoretical observer might assume that they were keepsakes from childhood, or perhaps they were a gift from a treasured friend or relative. After all, their appearance was unassuming in the extreme.

A more knowledgeable guest might recognize the odd gems as being those called hiruseki, the tear gems shed by ice maidens. This nonexistent person would then probably assume that their host was far richer than they appeared due to the amount of stones in the box. They might also then fear that the owner of the house was involved with the shadier dealings with demons, for ice maidens are said to never leave their glacier and this learned visitor would undoubtedly be aware of the value and rarity of the gems.

The friends and family of the owner, however, would know as fact that the hiruseki belonged to the person who lived in the modest shrine, having been shed at various times by the young-seeming woman. She was, after all, an ice maiden, and had collected her own tears over the years since her rescue from the gem-dealer Tarukane. They might express surprise that she displayed the treasures so openly, but they would respect her decision to showcase her heritage and her memories.

And yet, the friends and family would be mistaken in several simple facts. Firstly, not all of the tear gems in the box were made by a woman. And secondly, there is no value placed on the hiruseki by their owner, as she can only recall the pain she once went through on their account.


	6. Boyfriend

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **KeikoxYuusuke, two unimportant ocs.  
**Prompt: **Get Your Hands Off the Girl Can't You See She Belongs to Me ("Perfect Situation" by Weezer)  
**Summary:** Yukimura Keiko already has a perfectly decent boyfriend.

**Boyfriend**

"Please, Yukimura-san!"

"A-ah, please stop bowing, Sakamoto-kun! I'm sorry, but… I really do already have a boyfriend."

"Wh-what? B-but… I apologize, Yukimura-san."

"U-un. I keep quiet about him, so it's not a surprise you didn't know."

-----

"Come on, just one date, Yukimura-chan! It's not like it's a huge commitment!"

"I'm sorry, Yamada-kun, but I've already got a boyfriend, and so dating you would be disloyal to him…"

"I've heard about him, Yukimura-chan, and honestly, why are you waiting three years for a guy who might not even come back? There's plenty of great guys right here in front of you!"

"Like you, Yamada-kun? I'm sorry, but I'm going to wait for Yuusuke to come back."

"But… But Yukimura-chan! Please wait a moment!"

-----

"I thought you were going to introduce me to your new boyfriend when I got back."

"Well, no one really asked me."

"That's not what Kuwabara said."

"Sh-shut up, Yuusuke!"

"Ouch! Kei-ko! That _hurt_!"

"Good! You jerk."

"…Come on, Keiko. I'll walk you home."

"Y-yeah."


	7. Swing, Swing

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **Kuronue with a side of Youko Kurama.  
**Prompt: **Watch It Fly By As the Pendulum Swings ("In The End" by Linkin Park)  
**Summary:** In a clearing, deep in a forest of Makai, there lies a body of a thief.

**Swing, Swing**

_Youko snickered, and the bat demon grinned, pleased to have once again cracked his companion's stoic façade._

The pendulum glinted in the light that broke the tree cover.

_"Who are _you_ to tell _me_ what to do?" Kuronue demanded, angry and defiant.  
"Youko Kurama," the silver fox purred, and the bat felt shivers crawl down his spine._

The blood red jewel set in the center gleamed despite the caked brown substance that stained the rest of the necklace.

_"Really, Kuronue, why _don't _you ever go for a girl with wings?" Youko drawled, amused, as the winged demoness stalked away from the pair of thieves with an offended huff._

The bamboo pierced the ground with all the force of a ton of bricks, not yielding even in the strongest breezes that swept the clearing.

_"One day, Kurama, one of those assholes is going to run across me, and I'm not gonna give the bastard so much as the time of day," Kuronue slurred, half-draped across the table._

Tattered black remnants of clothing, stained brown, littered the area, clinging to the bamboo, the ground, and the bones.

_Kuronue threw back his head and howled with laughter, knowing full well that Youko would definitely get him back, but for now he was content to enjoy the results of his prank._

A stray breeze blows through a clearing, clattering bones with bamboo and lightly swinging a gleaming red pendulum.


	8. Letters From Home

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **Hiei, possible HieixKurama hints if you choose to take it that way. Takes place quite a while after the series ends.  
**Prompt: **Another Postcard with Chimpanzees and Every One is Addressed to Me ("Another Postcard" by Barenaked Ladies)  
**Summary:** Hiei rarely hears from the others, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to know how they're doing.

**Letters From Home**

Hiei frowned, looking at the pile of paper-like substances one of the imps he commanded was holding out to him. He waited to see if anything happened to the imp holding the sheets, but when it didn't keel over dead, the three-eyed demon grabbed the papers and dismissed his subordinate.

Turning to the one on top, Hiei frowned when seeing that it was a picture of some old-looking human building. He flipped and over, and recognized Yuusuke's scrawled kanji. _Hey, Hiei. I'm in Europe, if you care. Or even know where it is. Hope you're still alive. Urameshi Yuusuke._

Hiei snorted and tossed it aside. The next small, square paper had a picture of a beach and the bright yellow words "Greetings From Fiji". The jaganshi frowned, wondering what the hell Fiji was and who was sending him greetings from it. Flipping it over, Botan's old-style hiragana greeted him: _Hi Hiei! I hope you're having fun working with Mukuro! Koenma-sama finally gave me a vacation provided it was in Ningenkai, so I'm enjoying the beach. I hope you're enjoying whatever you're doing… even if it's killing things… Botan._

Hiei rolled his eyes and tossed it on top of Yuusuke's, well, letter. If the papers and pictures could be called such. He looked at the stack he was holding and was relieved to see that there were only two more. Still, who else would be stupid enough to write—of course. Kurama.

Sure enough, the next letter had a picture of a rose garden. _He really has a fetish_, Hiei sneered. He flipped it over to reveal neat, precise kanji. _Hello, Hiei. I hope this finds you well. I am enjoying my chance to travel Ningenkai and observe rare plants that I am helping to preserve for future generations. I trust that you are enjoying correspondence not just from me but also from others of our acquaintance who remain among the living. Please take care of yourself. Fondly, Youko Kurama._

_Stupid fox!_ Hiei hurled the letter onto the pile. He should have realized that the idiot was behind the sudden influx of letters. He turned to the final one, wondering how much he wanted to read it, but he finally looked down at it. The picture on this one was Kiyomizu Temple, which was enough to prompt him into actually reading the message on the back. Dainty, elegant kanji greeted him: _Onii-san, I hope you are healthy. I saw Kurama-san last week, and he told me about these 'postcards'. He said that they were a good way to keep in contact, so I decided to try and use one. As I am sure you can guess, I have made a trip to Kyoto. I wished to come and see some of the shrines here to make sure that I am taking proper care of Genkai's temple. Please take care of yourself, Yukina._

Hiei smoothed out non-existent folds in Yukina's postcard as he gently placed it on top of the other three. Just this once, he'd let the stupid fox win without putting up a fight. But only this once.


	9. Move On

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **Genkai, with hints of GenkaixToguro.  
**Prompt: **We're Living in a Broken Home of Hopes and Dreams ("Have a Nice Day" by Bon Jovi)  
**Summary:** Sometimes, you have to break before you can recover.  
**Edit:** Edited because it was pointed out that I had put "potter" instead of "pottery." When will I learn to get a beta?

**Move On**

Genkai, Champion of the Dark Tournament, looked down at her shattered teacup. The tea was already trickling over the table to drip down the edge onto her knees. The liquid had grown cold while she stared at it, and so rather than burn her skin through her cotton pants it simply made them cling unpleasantly to her legs.

The steady plops of blood and tea were the only sounds in the otherwise silent room, a room that had once been full of laughter and boisterous young people training in martial arts. Had it only been half a year previous that she herself had been one of them, giving pointers to the students and picking some up from their master?

The blood stains from that long ago day had been scrubbed away, but the pink-haired young woman still imagined that she could see the wreckage that she had found when she had come to see what the disturbance at Toguro's dojo was.

Blinking down at her bloody hand, she stood up and began mopping up tea, blood, and pottery shards. It had truly been a bad decision to return, but Genkai had always had something of a masochistic streak.

It was past time to grow up. The quiet schink of the shoji door closing behind her seemed an appropriate signal to the ending of her former life.


	10. From Today

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **Koenma.  
**Prompt: **Hear It Not, Heaven, Thy Ministers Have Done It ("Lullaby" by Loreena McKennitt)  
**Summary:** He will look to the future but remember the mistakes of the past.**  
**

**From Today**

There are days when it doesn't seem real. Those days, he expects to walk into the office that had been his, the one used by an ignorant, spoiled prince. He will be thinking about all the paperwork he will be stamping while plotting ways to get out of it, force it all onto Jorge or one of the other ogres. Then he sees that his office has become Jorge's office, and he has to keep going to the larger one his father used.

Then there are the days when he hopes it had all just been a bad dream. Those days, he expects to walk into the office that had once been his to find out the latest treasure he has to look over in his father's absence, the latest case for his spirit detectives, or the latest calamity striking Ningenkai. Then one of the ogres will come in to help him get ready for the day, and he'll remember fondly the days when he wasn't important enough to need someone helping him get dressed.

But today—today is different, he vows. Today is when he will finally stop trying to avoid it. From today on he will accept who he has become, what his position now is. He will stop trying to run and hide from the duties he never truly wanted.

From today on, he will shuck the last of his father's shaping and become the better man.


	11. Always a Thief

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE WHOLE STORY:** These one-shots are not necessarily interconnected. They have been written so as to be taken completely separately from one another. Also, about updates: this story is updated once a week, on Friday at any time during the 24 hours that it is Friday, no exceptions. I will not post more often than that, but neither will I post less often.

**Character(s): **Youko Kurama.  
**Prompt: **I Want, I Want, I Want Everything ("Los Angeles" by Sugarcult)  
**Summary:** It will never be enough.  
**Note:** I'm so sorry it's late, but, well, Nanowrimo plus Opening Night... yeah.

**Always a Thief**

He saw something and he wanted it, so he took it. It was as simple as that. He stole anything and everything that caught his eye, and he was never satisfied. It was never enough to quench the burning need inside him.

He would take something, and for a little while he wouldn't feel the need to take anything else, but then all of a sudden the need would burn up inside of him and he would steel something new.

It was an addiction, but one that he didn't feel the need to break. The thieving gave him a thrill, and there was a heady rush of power to know that he could take from those with more youki than he.

That need to steal hadn't disappeared in this new life. He just had to be a lot more careful, now that Reikai was peering over his shoulder and watching every move that he made.

But that was half the fun.


	12. Dream a Little Dream

**Character(s): **Botan.  
**Prompt: **Fairy Tales Don't Always Have a Happy Ending, Do They ("Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie)  
**Summary:** Sometimes, when she sleeps, she dreams.  
**Note:** I'm so sorry it's late (again) but, well, Nanowrimo plus being sick does not a good combination make.

**Dream a Little Dream**

Sometimes, when she sleeps, she dreams.

She dreams of a time long ago, when she had black hair and wore a child's kimono. She is the precious daughter of the wise village chief and the skilled protégé of the village miko, an elderly woman with wrinkled hands.

In her dreams, she will soon put on the kimono of an adult woman and take up the duties of a miko. She will never know the touch of a man, never hold her own children, but it is a small price to pay for the safety of her village, and there are none within it whom she loves as a woman should love a man.

It is as she is tending to a sick child that the raiders come. She is paralyzed temporarily, but no longer than an instant passes before she recovers and her training takes over. She helps the child to her mentor's hut, joined by other children too young to help in the fighting. With the old miko, she chants protection charms and prepares healing salves.

The sounds of fighting grow louder and sharper, and the old woman's eye narrow with determination and purpose. She grabs her replacements hands and thrusts her power, her life force, into the young woman, hoping it is enough.

Newly energized, the black-haired woman-child strides out of the hut, grabbing a bow and making sure to not break the wards. She takes aim like the great miko of old and arrows of power appear in her hands. She kills the raiders, but they are many and she is one with limited power.

She pauses, and the arrow that takes shape in her hands is brighter than the others. With care, she pulls the bowstring back and with a sigh she releases.

Botan wakes, shivering, sitting up in her bed in Reikai, blankets tangled with sweat-soaked limbs, and clutches herself until dawn.


	13. Human Heart

**Character(s): **Kuwabara.  
**Prompt: **The Kind of World Where Mom and Dad Still Believe the Golden Rule ("One Voice" by Billy Gilman)  
**Summary:** One day, idealism will win out over pragmatism.**  
**

**Human Heart**

He had always been a bit of an idealist when it came to certain things in life: honor, respect, courage, and love. He had always fought with honor, respected his opponent, never given up, and loved with all of his heart.

But in so many ways, he knew the truth behind the darker aspects of the human heart better than his friends and coworkers.

As the only truly human member of the team and the only one to have lived a normal life with a normal family, he knew all about the different facets that humans had. If he were going to do a presentation on it, his parents would be Exhibit A.

Perfect when it came to their careers. Completely dedicated to the company. Model workers who were unafraid to accept overtime or overnight trips to other cities. And completely uncaring and downright negligent when it came to their two children.

One day, he vowed, the world would be a perfect place. Parents would love and care for their children _and_ work hard at jobs that they liked. That was what he fought for.

Until that day came, he would not rest in his efforts. He would do what he had to do while staying true to himself and the ideals he embraced. And one day, everyone would not only be able to believe the best of everyone, they would _want_ to do so.


	14. Vision

**Character(s): **Yomi.  
**Prompt: **We'll Show the World They Were Wrong ("If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback)  
**Summary:** He has been blind in so many ways.**  
**

**Vision**

Yomi had once planned to unite all of makai and from that position conquer ningenkai and reikai alike. At the time, he had thought it was the only way to keep makai safe from the depredations of reikai and the human powerhouses they were training in ningenkai to deal with demons who were able to cross the kikai.

Sometimes, he still thought that he had had the right idea.

Still, Enki was a knowledgeable ruler, as well as being powerful. It had certainly been a good idea to hold that tournament, so perhaps Raizen's heir wasn't quite as stupid as he had once thought. Maybe.

Looking out at Gandara, Yomi wondered once more at how much he had changed over the years after he had lost his sight. Losing his eyes had forced him to become much more rational, as well as giving him a different perspective on everything around him. Meeting Youko again had been good, especially the interactions between the spirit fox and the allies he had brought to Gandara. Choosing to disband his country and fight for only himself in the tournament had been even better. It had felt good to only be concerned with himself and to only be dependent on himself once again.

He owed Yuusuke quite a bit for that, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. Maybe one day, he would be able to admit it to Yuusuke's face. Stranger things had happened to him, after all.


	15. Fight

**Character(s): **Yukina.  
**Prompt: **Nothing Worth Having Comes Without Some Kind of Fight ("Lovers in a Dangerous Time" by Barenaked Ladies)  
**Summary:** This is a fight you will not back down from.**  
**

**Fight**

It was impossible to not pick up some form offensive abilities when one grew up in the makai, and you _had_ grown up in the makai. Sometimes, you wonder if your friends have forgotten about that; even the demon ones.

There were many times when you chose to not fight, but you know that it's because those were not important fights. You are smart enough to choose your fights, and while you avoid the less important ones, you save your energy and your time for the ones that truly matter: the ones that will change your whole life.

Fights like the one you are about to have with Hiei when he walks through the temple door to report a lack of success finding himself.

Finding himself… Perhaps he has not done that, you allow, and that is why he continues to deny what is so obvious. Still, this is a fight that you are not going to let him win, no matter what, because it is too important that you win so that he can also win.

You smile slightly as you hear him walking through the temple, heading for the kitchen. You place the two teacups on the table, and kneel down at it to wait for him. After all, it is patience and perseverance that will win you this fight, and you know it.

And your brother knows it, too, even if he has not yet admitted it to himself.


	16. Fight, Take Two

**Character(s): **Shizuru.  
**Prompt: **I Search for the Beat in This Dirty Town ("Kids in America" by Kim Wilde)  
**Summary:** The blood pumps in her veins as much as it does in theirs'.**  
**

**Fight, Take Two**

Shizuru strolled through the city she had grown up in, cigarette held loosely between two fingers and expression just that short of boredom. She easily dodged the other humans that surrounded her, uncaring of the looks some shot after her. What did it matter, what others thought of her?

She had bigger prey to catch.

Casually exhaling smoke, the brunette sauntered over to the warehouse she knew the demon gang was using as a base. There would be four of them, and they were weak enough that even _she_ could take them out, so there was no point in bothering Kazuma or one of the others. Besides, it would be interesting—and she didn't see anything interesting that much anymore.

Shizuru paused and considered the door of the warehouse. Deciding to take a page out of Yuusuke's book, she kicked the entrance down, hoping that it wouldn't take out too many of the demons—she wanted to have some fun, after all.

And so what if knocking some sense into the heads of Delinquents of All Races was her idea of fun these days? That just made for dangerous excitement.

The brunette psychic hurtled into the derelict room on the heels of the metal door banging against the wall, and launched herself into the huddle of surprised demons. Time to liven things up a bit. She just had to finish before the official Spirit Detectives showed up.

Looking at the four demons that she was in the process of beating the shit out of, she thought that that wouldn't be much of a problem.


	17. Fight, Take Three

**Character(s): **Yuusuke.  
**Prompt: **You Live For the Fight When It's All That You've Got ("Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi)  
**Summary:** The feel of a perfectly thrown punch is not something anyone can forget.  
**Notes:** Please don't throw tomatoes at me because of the title of this one. It just seemed appropriate. And it _is_ a manga/anime about fighting...

**Fight, Take Three**

There was just something so totally satisfying about his fist smashing into someone else's face. No matter how strong he got, no matter how many techniques he learned, it always came back to the feel of a perfectly thrown punch.

The other guys understood, which was why they got along so well. All three of them enjoyed it as much as he did, although Kurama hid it the best. But all four of them knew and accepted that, at the end of the day even if they had nothing else, they had their strength.

Nothing else mattered, nothing else came close to that exhilaration—and nothing else touched him the way that fighting did. No matter what anyone else said or thought, he wouldn't have it any other way.


	18. Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood

**Character(s): **Raizen.  
**Prompt: **"Not a Hero Unless You Die Our Species Eat the Wounded Ones" ("The Kinslayer" by Nightwish)  
**Summary:** This is my flesh; eat of it and grow strong.  
**Notes:** Sorry there wasn't anything last week, but I was really busy on Christmas day. Happy New Year! Also, **SPOILER ALERT!!** I wouldn't read this if you haven't gotten to the Makai Tournament arc. If you don't know what that is, turn back now. Last warning.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own either YYH or the album that spawned the title of this one. It just seemed way too appropriate to let slide.

**Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood**

Raizen settled back in his throne, wincing as his stomach roared its disapproval at his voluntary starvation. Soon he wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. Too soon, one might almost say. His descendent wasn't ready—not yet—and might not be in time, but things rarely went as one wanted. He hadn't seen _her_ again, after all.

The white-haired demon stretched, trying to ignore the growing pangs from his abdominal region. At this rate, too soon would become that very day and no one was ready for that. He knew he would just have to accept that Yuusuke would never be "ready" for his death, but the survivor in him refused to give up, even when he was dying willingly.

The old lord wondered how Yuusuke would rule his lands while dealing with Yomi and Mukuro on even footing. It would be impossible to do so as he was now, but Raizen had kept tabs on the brat and so knew that the black-haired mazoku continually surprised even those who expected the most from him. On the other hand, however, he just as often fell short until appropriately prodded—and death in the makai was almost always permanent, no matter what it was like in the ningenkai.

Raizen clenched his fists and forced himself to stand up. This fight would be the last, and so he would give it more than he had previously. His descendent deserved to know what he would be fighting against when it came to the others, after all. And, if he had any intelligence, the brat would eat some of Raizen's flesh when he was dead, so that he could absorb some of Raizen's power. Not like he would give the black-haired idiot that much of a hint about _anything_, so hopefully the moron would figure it out on his own.

And if he didn't, well… The kid would probably still find a way to manage. He was a survivor after all, just like Raizen had once been. Just like he still would be, if his life hadn't been changed that night.

Soon, he wouldn't have to fight any longer. _Just a little bit more time… Just a bit more for that child of my blood…_


	19. Misunderstandings

**Character(s): **Hiei and Yukina.  
**Prompt: **From the Darkness to the Sun, Let Our Spirits Be As One ("Fly Away" by Emma Townshend)  
**Summary:** I will wait a lifetime and more for you to understand.**  
**

**(Mis)understandings**

Yukina knelt across from Hiei, calmly pouring tea into both of their cups with an inherent grace. Hiei waited until she set the teapot down before taking his cup and moving it closer to his side of the table. The koorime across from him mirrored his actions, and both regarded the opposite, waiting for the other one to break first.

Finally, without even a hint of resignation or temper, Hiei picked up his plain cup and took a gulp of the hot liquid. Across the table, Yukina's hands rested complacently on either side of her cup, as if she were merely warming them up—or cooling the tea down. The black-haired fire manipulator put his down as suddenly as he had picked it up, but nodded his head towards his companion.

"Good choice," he admitted, almost pleasantly. The green-haired demon smiled back at him, triumphant rather than cheerful. Hiei's lips twisted upwards in a slight smirk of acknowledgement, before he continued, "starts sweet but there's a bitter aftertaste that suits it."

"It is one of my favorites," Yukina replied with a softer smile, her eyes shadowed downward towards the table. Another pause as she finally picked up her own cup and sipped at it, while Hiei used the distraction to study the other demon. "I hate to be so brusque, but I am sure that you have other people to see while you are visiting ningenkai so I will be frank: have you any news of my brother, Hiei-san?"

Now it was his turn to pick up his teacup and take another long swallow so that he could postpone the conversation from progressing in the usual direction. Ignoring how the tea scalded his throat on its way down, he set his cup down with a clink that would likely have been audible even to a human. Pushing down a frown of annoyance, the jaganshi informed the koorime, "I've heard nothing." A beat, and then, "sorry."

"No," Yukina told him, shaking her head, "it is not your fault he is proving so elusive." Hiei repressed a wince at words chosen to sting. "I can only hope that your search will one day prove successful." It would have been fine if she had stopped there, and he completely expected her to do so, just as she always did.

He stood up to leave, teacup drained and conversation played out as usual. As he opened the shoji that led to the temple's garden, his sister's voice called out after him, "when you realize that you are everything I want in a brother, I will be waiting right here, onii-san."


	20. Eternity

**Character(s): **Sensui, implied Sensui/Itsuki.  
**Prompt: **But When He Comes, They Don't Know How to Go ("Mamma Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening)  
**Summary:** And he will float forever blissful in this peaceful embrace.**  
**

**Eternity**

Your soul is drifting through darkness. Sweet, comforting darkness. You were scared of it, once, but not for a while. You wonder why you used to fear it, but it doesn't really matter anymore does it? Not when it finally feels as if the weight has lifted from your back. Everything feels so light—as if you shouldn't be able to remain sitting. In fact, you think that you should be floating without trying to do so.

The growing feeling of another presence catches your attention and you let your head roll up so you can see who else is here. A familiar figure, pale and angular, with long hair. You reach for them or they reach for you, and it's so comfortingly, achingly familiar.

"Forever," the other whispers into your hair as he draws you close, draws you tight as can be. You're squishing into this other being as if combining two into one. You relax into it, feeling a sort of rightness in these actions.

_Forever_, the figure said. You grasp onto the concept, clutching at it in the hopes of finding coherence. It teases you with familiarity before the meaning slithers away into oblivion. You let it, preferring to slump back into the chest pressing against you, seeking to sink beneath warm skin that soothes away any worries you once entertained.

"Forever," the other whispers again, arms wrapping around you. Not loose, that embrace, but not tight enough to focus on. Not that it bothers you.

This is a nice way to spend eternity.


	21. Present

**Character(s): **Mukuro.  
**Prompt: **To Ease My Breast of Melodies ("Weep No More", a song based on the poem "Fairy Song" by John Keats)  
**Summary:** Everyone deserves something special on their birthday.  
**Notes: Warning! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!!** DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THROUGH CHAPTER 172 OF THE MANGA!!!

**Present**

Mukuro leaned back on her bed as she regarded the gift that Hiei had been kind enough to bring her. Such a nice subordinate, to go to such trouble for a birthday gift; especially after she had attacked him. She would have to do something special for him. Maybe a week with his sister would be enough?

_But that is a puzzle for a later time,_ the powerful demon reminded herself. After all, it was time to play with her new toy. She had a feeling that it would take a long, long time for her to get bored with this one.

The only question was where to begin. His eyes? No, too close to the brain, and she wasn't sure how strong she was going to hit him just yet. Maybe…? She looked him over, and decided that it was best to start at the root of the problem, so to speak.

As Mukuro slipped off the bed, she picked up the knife that she kept nearby. She didn't want to get her hands dirty for this one, after all.

"Happy birthday to me," the demon smiled as her knife slid through flesh.


	22. Chase

**Character(s): **Kuwabara Kazuma and a psychic.  
**Prompt: **In This World There's Real and Make Believe ("Let Me Go" by 3 Doors Down)  
**Summary:** Kuwabara Kazuma is in trouble.**  
**

**Chase**

Kuwabara Kazuma is all of five-years-old the first day that a ghost chases him. He's seen them before, of course; they are a normal sight to they young boy, and so he doesn't mind them at all. But this one is vengeful and filled with all of the spite a murder victim can muster, and so young Kazuma flees, hoping to find safety before the spirit catches him.

Several wrong turns later, the ghost is still with him and he is helplessly lost in the sprawling city. The young boy stifles the desperate sobs his sister tells him are unmanly and banks a sharp left, hoping to lose his tail, only to find himself facing a brick wall.

Dead end. Game over.

Kazuma turns bravely, determined to make a last stand of any kind. The spirit approaches, cackling in victory, only to disappear with a shocked expression. A young woman with braided pink hair stands where the spirit just was, brown eyes regarding the child dispassionately. She frowns slightly and informs him, "you would probably appreciate a lessening of that power of yours." When his eyes brighten with hope, she informs him, tartly, "too bad. Life isn't fair that way, so you'll just have to live with it."

She turns and leaves without another glance, and Kazuma's spirits fall. He runs after her, and grabs the edge of her tunic as she is about to cross the street. The woman actually pauses and looks down at the child. His black eyes are glued to the ground, and he misses the softening of her expression. "Please," Kazuma whispers with the last breath of hope he has.

"Why should the ghosts not have their say?" the woman replies. When the boy looks up at her, startled, her expression is as cold as ever. "You are one of the few who can see and hear them," she reminds him, as if he didn't already know that. "You have a duty to them, and I will not help you shirk it."

Kazuma frowns at the mention of duty. It is a powerful word, and one that resonates with him. And so he nods, determination and resolution dripping from the small movement. The woman nods approvingly, and leads him to a train station. She puts him on a train, and tells him, "get off at the fourth stop."

When he does so, he realizes that he is right near his home, no longer lost.


	23. A Day's Work

**Character(s): **Botan.  
**Prompt: **What a Good Girl, What a Smart Girl, What a Pretty Girl ("What a Good Boy" by Barenaked Ladies)  
**Summary:** Botan knows how to do her job.**  
**

**A Day's Work**

Few people glanced in the direction of the blue-haired girl swinging her legs, clearly waiting for someone. Most of those who did look at the uniform-clad young woman assumed that she was waiting for a friend, perhaps a boyfriend, and kept walking. But there were a few who passed that gave the pink-eyed female a startled second look, as if they couldn't quite believe what they were seeing.

Those who gave her a second glance were treated to a sly, knowing smile and a jaunty wave, both of which hurried them on their way, praying fervently that Death had no further business with them.

For her part, Botan took perverse amusement in scaring the demons and spiritually-aware humans who recognized _what_ she was without bothering to see _who_ she was. She hadn't always been Death, after all; but she had always been set apart. That sense of isolation was part of what had made her so suitable to become one of the ferry girls of Reikai, and had probably had something to do with her being so eager to accept the offer.

No matter. What _did_ matter was accident about to occur. She wasn't going to prevent it, of course; it was part of the balance of the world. But she did have to pick up the pieces, and that meant ferrying souls. And some souls had a tendency to try and run away. It was so much easier when you were on the spot and ready to grab the souls as soon as they left the body, the blue-haired ferry girl mused, tapping her fingers against the bench.

Not five seconds later, the sounds of squealing tires and metal hitting metal reached her ears. Bounding to her feet, Botan pulled out her oar and phased back to her insubstantial form. Humming a funeral dirge popular five centuries previous, she hopped on her oar and headed for the accident. Five souls, right on time.


	24. Reforged

**Character(s): **Shizuru.  
**Prompt: **Price You Gotta Pay When You Break the Panorama ("Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers)  
**Summary:** There is no time for regrets; the here and now are all that matter.  
**Notes:** Based in part off of "Winter's Fire" by MoonFairy.

**Reforged**

Shizuru doesn't like to think about the past. It's useless, a complete waste of time, and a total downer. Especially when she thinks back to when _she_ was Kazuma's age, before… Well, before everything.

She could have been stronger than all of them. Hell, she _was_ stronger than all of them a decade ago. But that's in the past, and Shizuru prefers to think about the present. She knows that makes her a lot like the guys, which strengthens the regret. But if she hadn't sacrificed a majority of her power, she would never have met any of them. And that would be a bigger shame, no matter what she says out loud.

It had been a demon, of course. Now that Reikai is having a political upheaval, she knows that it was probably Enma's fault. Fucking fuck. It—the demon—had had a plan to take over Ningenkai or some such. She had been too young with not enough training; much like Yuusuke when he went to the Dark Tournament. The demon had been defeated and the young human exhausted when the secret was revealed: the crystalline machinery had already been set in motion. Ningenkai wouldn't be destroyed, but a large chunk of Japan would explode into nothing.

The girl had crawled over to the machinery and seen nothing to stop it and no way to destroy it. Shizuru had been left with one choice: use what was left of her power to shield the device and hope she held long enough.

A desperate gamble, but one that ultimately paid off. Japan was saved, the demon was taken into Reikai custody, and Shizuru—the human girl was in a coma for half a year, her body trying to hold on to enough spiritual energy for the host to return. When she woke up, too much of her energy was gone; it was projected that she would be lucky to see spirits and ghosts.

She proved them wrong, of course, but only as she got older and older, her body too arthritic to fight safely. She still fights, of course, but she will die on the battlefield if she doesn't retire soon.

That's perfectly okay with her. Shizuru came to terms with death a long time ago. She is going to go out the way _she_ wants to go out, and nobody is going to stop her.


	25. Notoriety

**Character(s): **Hiei.  
**Prompt: **I Ain't Gonna Be Just a Face in the Crowd ("It's My Life" by Bon Jovi)  
**Summary:** Fame is all well and good until you get it and look back on the regrets.**  
**

**Notoriety**

Hiei had never wanted to fit in. He wanted to be the strongest, the fastest, the toughest; the best. You couldn't be the best if no one knew who you were. So he provoked fights and slaughtered his way around Makai. He was careful to never fight anyone _too_ powerful, content to slowly work his way up to a higher level.

Then he had gotten the Jagan implanted. All of that hard work, and Hiei was suddenly a D-class. But the Jagan was more than just useful; it could make him stronger than he had been before. He just had to work his way his back up to that level and then push himself beyond it.

Stealing from Reikai with Goki and Kurama had seemed like it was the chance of a lifetime. Notoriety and power in one move. But then Yuusuke had gone and ruined it all. When Hiei was being truthful, he knew that there had been more problems than one annoying Reikai worker, but it was so much easier to blame the detective.

Being a lapdog for Reikai had been humiliating, but it had allowed him to build his power back up quicker than might otherwise have happened. He was aimed at enemies and then released, and those fights against stronger and stronger demons helped boost his youki into B-level standing.

Training with Mukuro and participating in the Makai Tournament had propelled him solidly into A-level status. It had also spread his name around as someone a smart demon didn't want to mess with. Hiei, Master of the Jagan, was now one of the top demons in Makai, just as he had always wanted.

Perched on a tree that overlooked Genkai's temple, Hiei couldn't help but think it was funny that he couldn't have the one thing he wanted more than acknowledgement.


	26. Nobody's Fool

**Character(s):** Kuwabara, with a side of Yukina.  
**Prompt: **Everyone in This Room Seems to Want to Make a Big Fool Out of Me ("Get In Line" by Barenaked Ladies)  
**Summary:** It's easy to be what you're expected to be; breaking out is the hard part.**  
**

**Nobody's Fool**

Kuwabara Kazuma was no idiot.

In fact, he was more sensitive than his friends and was often able to better see to the heart of emotional problems than the others. It was because of this that he goofed around when the subject of Hiei's sister came up and reassured Yukina about her brother when he visited her. Because of his perception, it was very rare that he was surprised by any of the emotional issues that rocked the Reikai Tantei and their friends.

Genkai's death had blindsided him. It wasn't his proudest moment, that was for sure, but he thought he'd been pretty restrained with expressing how he felt about being left in the dark. Especially since he knew that Yuusuke wasn't willing to admit out loud that their mentor was dead. That day, he had become determined to never be so shocked by everyone's emotional issues again.

Yuusuke, Kurama, and Hiei's decisions to go to Makai hadn't come as a surprise. He had known that they were powerful demons who were becoming less enchanted with what the Ningenkai had to offer. He figured Kurama would definitely come back and Yuusuke might return once he got his answers and even Hiei would probably come back for a visit every so often. But they had expected him to act shocked and betrayed, so he had played his part.

None of them wanted a change in the status quo, even if they didn't say anything aloud, so he reacted like they wanted. He shouted and yelled and called them names, but he let them go. After they had gone through the portal and Genkai had gone back inside her shrine, Yukina had touched his arm and smiled at him. She knew, after all; how could she not when she played much the same role as him?

"Let's work hard while they are gone so we can surprise them when they return, Kazuma-kun," the koorime had told him with a determined smile. He had understood what she meant, and had nodded. He could do nothing else, not when he was as sick as she was of playing the same role.

Kuwabara Kazuma was no idiot, and now the world would know.


	27. Victory

**Character(s):** Kurama.  
**Prompt: **Just Sneak Out and Don't Tell a Soul Goodbye ("Check Yes Juliet" by We the Kings)  
**Summary:** Sometimes, it all comes down to do or die.  
**Notes:** So I didn't post last week because a) vacation and b) illness. Sorry this one's so short, but I wasn't getting inspiration for anything longer.  
**SPOILER WARNING:** This won't make sense if you haven't seen the second movie, since it's based on a scene from that movie.

**Victory**

Leaving through the window was easy; he had done it for a good portion of both lives, after all. No sound was made and no soul alerted as Kurama slipped from his mother's house and out onto the darkened street. Years of practice helped the fox spirit sneak through town on his way to a nighttime rendezvous.

An unplanned meeting was in the air, yet Kurama knew that the others would all be there. None of them had said a word; they had simply parted earlier that day, secure in the knowledge that after dark they would gather and storm the enemies' positions.

This was possibly the last night any of them would see, but the red-haired avatar wasn't really that worried. They would win, after all. He might have doubted that once, but not anymore. It wasn't that arrogance—or rather, confidence—was ever lacking on his part, but since meeting Yuusuke, Kurama had begun to feel that their group could do anything. Even take down the Meikai.

Casually stepping out of an alley, Kurama fell in line with his allies, ready to take on a world.


	28. Farewell to Arms

**Character(s):** Yuusuke.  
**Prompt: **Now You Know How Our Story is S'pposed ta Go ("Yes I'm Cold" by Chris Bathgate)  
**Summary:** There comes a time to say goodbye.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not pretend to own the book the title for this installment comes from, nor do I pretend to own Yu Yu Hakusho.

**Farewell to Arms**

An old man settled back on his bed, willing to stop complaining at everyone who came near him only because they had all finally left him alone. He had had a long life. Some would even call it a good one. He has to wonder, though, just how good it was. He didn't do everything he wanted to. He wasn't always on the side of justice. He sure as hell wasn't a saint.

He fought and cussed, laughed and yelled. He got up every time he fell. He charged in where others hesitated. He said whatever he wanted to and damned the consequences. He had hated and loved with equal passion.

Now that he was dying, the man finally wondered where he would end up. Maybe the pacifer-sucking brat would let him reincarnate with his late wife, give them another chance. Maybe he would be consigned to Limbo, as Botan joked the first time he died. And maybe, just maybe, he would see everyone again.

That would be nice, the gray-haired man reflected. He was the last one left, after all, not counting all the brats. It would be kind of cool to hang out with the others, challenge some of them to a fight or two. Something like that would be a good afterlife. And fuck anyone who tried to take it away from him.

Slowly, he closed his eyes. It wasn't giving up, he knew; it was accepting what came next—and changing whatever the hell he didn't like.


	29. Vigil

**Character(s):** Insert your favorite het pairing for this series.  
**Prompt: **Breathe Life Into This Feeble Heart, Lift This Mortal Veil of Fear ("Dante's Prayer" by Loreena McKennitt)  
**Summary:** Sometimes, all you can do is wait.**  
**

**Vigil**

Waiting was the worst part of life. Always had been, always would be. It tested you in ways that action did not. Waiting meant trusting, and trust was a precious commodity. If you were waiting for someone, you had to trust that they would return to you. That faith wasn't always fulfilled.

But he had never failed her yet, and the woman wouldn't—_couldn't_—believe that he would betray her now, but that didn't keep the anxiety away. It was a dangerous world and a dangerous job, and this could be the one battle he would not walk away from. It was unlikely, but anything was possible where that man was concerned. Considering what he had already done, what he had previously survived—all bets were off where he was concerned.

Sometimes, she feared that he had used up his share of luck. That fear kept her awake the nights he was gone, and she wandered through their house like a ghost, pacing silent halls until dawn. He would say she was being ridiculous, the woman knew that, but she couldn't help it: he was her courage, her hope, her soul. Without him, she would have given into her fears and doubts long ago.

She was strong, of course; no one had doubted that for a long time. It was just… He just made her so much stronger. With him around, she felt that she would never have to worry about anything ever again. All of her nightmares fled from his presence, and all of her strength and her hope came flooding in to keep them out.

The sound of the front door opening drew her attention, and she stood instantly, making her way over. She turned the corner, praying it was him and not one of his teammates. Her eyes widened at the man waiting for her. And slowly, slowly she approached him….


	30. Stubborn

**Character(s):** Shizuru, Botan, Yukina, Keiko.  
**Prompt: **Heads We Will, Tails We'll Try Again ("Why Don't You and I" by Santana)  
**Summary:** Stubbornness is an attractive quality.  
**Notes: **Remember that this is a collection of UNCONNECTED one-shots, and therefore disparity and contradictions WILL exist. I do not support any particular pairings, and occasionally make use of one or another to further a plot. I hope you enjoyed this series as much as (or more than) I enjoyed writing it.

**Stubborn**

Shizuru didn't know when to quit. She couldn't stop loving Sakyo, no matter how many years passed since his death because she had never gotten closure. She couldn't stop beating up her brother, no matter how much he learned because he never learned enough.

It would be easier to give up her love for a dead man, easier to stop caring for her brother enough to make him _learn, damnit, _that not everything was sunshine and not everyone had good in them.

She couldn't bring herself to stop, and frankly, she didn't want to. One day, she would move on. One day, Kazuma would learn enough. But it wasn't "one day" yet.

--

Botan gave up too easily. She didn't try and remember who she had been when alive. She didn't try and find out if anyone missed her, if anyone was looking for her. She didn't try and pursue anyone she fell in love with. She didn't try to save every soul she came across.

But she did pick her battles. She struggled to help Yuusuke, because she saw something in him, and he called to her in a way no one else ever had. She tried to stop Keiko from turning into a demon because she felt that one day they could be good friends, and she wanted a good friend. She attempted to overcome her fear of Hiei and tell Yukina the truth because Yukina deserved to know that her brother still lived. She pursued Kurama because she knew, in some intuitive way, that he could make her deliriously happy.

--

Yukina was as stubborn as her brother. She didn't give up on anyone that she cared about. She refused to accept that her brother was dead, searching for him throughout the realms. She didn't let the deaths of a human and several birds break her spirit, no matter how much she had come to care for them. And she would never let on to her brother that she knew the truth until he told her first.

--

Keiko was stubborn about the wrong things and gave up on the good things.


End file.
